Hemil Parekh: Challenging his Physical Disabilities to achieve his dream of becoming a “Cricketer”

We often keep complaining about things in life while we often neglect the things which we have. The mindset of not appreciating what we have and complaining on what we don’t have often results in we never being satisfied or happy with ourselves.

We at Cricketgraph recently interacted with 33yr old Hemil Parekh from Mumbai and his never give up attitude and his tough mindset made us realize that, we need to stop complaining and start working with positive mindset to achieve our life goals. Hemil just like any other cricket loving kid began playing cricket from a very young age, courtesy his equally cricket loving father Paresh Parikh. In summer vacations, his father would took him to the nearby grounds in Sion and that’s how his tyrst with cricket began from the age of 16. Hemil went on to play for his school in Harris Shield representing Shri Vallabh Ashram English Medium School while he also played College Level cricet Representing SIWS College. During that phase, he came up with many performances with 5/36 in 8 overs being his best bowling figures.

Everything was sailing good, Hemil like any other aspiring cricketer was doing everything correct as possible, he was training hard, playing matches at School and College level until he met with an unexpected accident in 2009. Hemil met with a train accident in 2009 which resulted in him facing serious injuries. That one accident costed him a lot as he lost his one leg. Hemil went through severe pain and multiple treatments & it was almost the end of his ambitious cricketing journey, he was mentally depressed & had given up on living a regular life which every other human wishes to live.

After almost 3-4 months of innumerable pain, tears, treatments and operations, Hemil got his prosthesis leg ready and he started training again. His father once again became his first coach, motivated him and asked him to start practicing everyday & start living his life like any other regular guy.

Hemil shared with Cricketgraph “Me and my father both are crazy about cricket and he started training me again to prepare me for playing cricket. I could remember, he told me to run 3 rounds of the ground in which we practice. I first found it difficult and after the rounds the pain was unbereable as the stump was bleeding. I would also remember my father words at that time “this is the pain that makes you stronger”. And after such training, I again started playing cricket. I do still practice hard to play as my goal is to play for my country. In a regular local matched my best figures are 6-32 after bowling 6 overs. 

From almost giving up in life in 2009/10 to taking a 6 wicket haul in a regular match with one prosthesis leg, the journey in between has been nothing but inspiring. Hemil also went on to play in Mayor Cup representing MCAD Team (Mumbai Cricket Association for Disabled) where he took 3/22 in his first match while he went on to take 3 wickets in almost every match he played in Mayor Cup.

Hemil furthermore mentioned about Coach Malkesh Gandhi who he believes is the turning point in his career. Coach Malkesh gives him personal attention and he even gifted him a white ball after his promising performance which he cherishes with pride. Hemil believes Coach Malkesh Gandhi made him physically prepared and helped him to know cricket in a broader way.